Camp report — Day 5: Coaches blow a few gaskets explaining concepts to their charges

Kristen Odland, Calgary Herald06.06.2013

Stamps receiver Anthony Parker has a great shot at being a key Canadian receiver on the squad this season and maybe that’s why he was the subject of a Dave Dickenson pep talk during Thursday’s morning session.

After having a relatively quiet day on Wednesday (only one morning practice session), Day 5 of Stamps camp ramped up again with another two-a-day practice on Thursday. The coaches, in particular, were sticklers for detail as the morning session featured offensive co-ordinator Dave Dickenson chewing out receiver Anthony Parker, while linebackers coach Don Yanowsky was offering his (loud) opinion and direction to many of his charges, including Troy Butler, Chris Randle, Alvin Bowen, and receivers Joe West and Raymond Webber . . . “I was pleased,” said Stampeders head/GM John Hufnagel. “We were a little bit better with our assignments. We had some receivers that were back on the field that were nursing their pulled muscles. There were a few mistakes by them, but for the most part, it was a good practice. We’re right on schedule. Maybe not executing as well as we’d like but that’s what training camp is all about.” . . . The defence had a solid morning with CB Jamar Wall impressing with a knock-down during a team session while Marvin Booker turned heads with a pick. “First of all, Booker is a young man that’s improving,” Hufnagel said. “He’s starting to get comfortable. He understands the system. He’s very athletic which the interception showed the athleticism. The defence is doing well. They have a lot of stuff in. Basically, the starting defence out there is the same one that ended the season last year which helps. So, they have a lot of continuity going. They’re playing fast with a lot of enthusiasm.” ... Hufnagel delivered some bad news about R Chris Bauman who showed up at practice with a cast after breaking a bone in his left wrist ... Other injuries were: LB Rod Davis (foot), R Tim Hawthorne (hamstring), OL Edwin Harrison (calf), LB Demetrice Morley (knee), OL Billy Peach (ankle), OL J’Micheal Deane (missed the morning session), DB Reggie Jones (knee), RB Jonathan Williams (thumb), OL Brett Jones, and R Khalil Paden ... The Stampeders released OL Stu VanDusen on Thursday ... Import Josue Paul was among the receivers returning to the fold after missing a few practices with a hamstring injury. The former Central Connecticut State Blue Devil made a stellar deep catch during an early skelly drill and showed some speed on a return during a special teams exercise in the morning ... the Stampeders announced that Western Direct Insurance has signed on as one of the team’s major sponsors.

Analysis: With the departure of two main aces Marc Calixte (who retired in the off-season) and Akwasi Antwi (traded to Toronto for the rights to Dan Federkeil), the Stamps signed Yannick Carter and drafted 23-year-old Adam Berger out of Simon Fraser to possibly fill the void. Their other draft pick, big bodied Ben D’Aguilar who is a solid six-foot-two and 240-pounds, is also expected to contribute along with the returning Wilkerson DeSouza who was on the practice roster in 2012. Long snapper and longest-serving Stampeder Randy Chevrier — or, rather, Chevy 2.0 who dropped over 35 pounds in the off-season — is determined to solidify his position at long-snapper while Tim St. Pierre remains in the fold. Of course, the dynamic Larry Taylor comes in as the incumbent kick returner. And the Stampeders are thankful for it considering the five-foot-six 175-pounder had another outstanding season last year, finishing fourth in the CFL with 1,583 combined return yards in 10 games (his campaign was shortened due to a knee injury). As such, the former CFL special teams player of the year signed a contract extension in the off-season. But challenging him in camp are LaMarcus Coker and Marquay McDaniel and newcomers Terence Jeffers-Harris and Jonathan Williams. Continuing improvement is expected from Matt Walter. As far as kicker Rene Paredes (who handles field goals and kickoffs) and punter Rob Maver are concerned, both are looking to build on a superb 2012 which solidified them as one of the top kicking duos in the CFL.

Comment: “First of all, the kickers are competing against themselves. They both had good seasons last year. Their whole mindset was last year was last year. We want to show we’re consistent and we can do that every year. They realize, and our whole off-season focus with them and coming into this year was, the best pros do it year in and year out. They want to prove to the rest of the league that it wasn’t a one-off season. They took their off-season training seriously. They came in ready to compete and try to raise the bar again this year. They’re working hard. As far as special teams role players, we feel like we’ve got a good stable of young guys that are competing for those big four special teams spots. But we feel like we’ve got some guys that can challenge and push.”

— Special teams co-ordinator Mark Kilam

Five Quick Questions For . . .

K Rob Maver

1. Money is no object . . . what care do you buy?

“I don’t think about cars that much so probably just a WRX Subaru. It’s boring but I don’t know, I’m not a car guy.”

2. Favourite cheat food?

“Pizza and Doritos. Sweet Chili Heat and I’ll usually top that off with some ice cream. It’s my cheat meal. It’s disgusting. But only probably just once that I like to binge like that and then I hate myself for the next six days and do it all over.”

3. Favourite childhood cartoon?

“When I was really young, probably DuckTales. I don’t remember why, I just remember watching that one all the time.”

4. Major influence in life?

“Probably my grandparents because they raised me and taught me a lot.”

5. Favourite pro athlete growing up?

“You know what? Probably would have been Doug Gilmour. I grew up in the Toronto area and I was never a Leaf fan but everybody loved Dougie.”

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Camp report — Day 5: Coaches blow a few gaskets explaining concepts to their charges

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